Rolando McClain is back with the Cowboys, but not ready to talk about it

Rolando McClain reported to the team’s mandatory minicamp on Tuesday. (Special to S-T/Ray Carlin)
Ray Carlin
Special to S-T/Ray Carlin

Rolando McClain reported to the team’s mandatory minicamp on Tuesday. (Special to S-T/Ray Carlin)
Ray Carlin
Special to S-T/Ray Carlin

IRVING

Rolando McClain had no interest in discussing his first day back with the Dallas Cowboys. He joked that his time with reporters would come whenever Dez Bryant graced the locker room with his presence.

But McClain appeared to be in good spirits and only offered that he is feeling “as good as I can” at this point in the offseason as he headed out of the locker room. McClain continues to recover from surgery on his right knee that he underwent not too long before offseason practices began.

McClain isn’t expected to do much on-field work during the team’s mandatory three-day minicamp that started Tuesday. He went through the morning walkthrough, but spent minimal time on the field during the afternoon practice session.

But simply having McClain on hand was a plus for the Cowboys after he skipped voluntary team organized activities earlier this month. Coach Jason Garrett also expressed optimism that McClain will be a full-go when training camp starts late next month in Oxnard, Calif.

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“I don’t want to make any projections,” Garrett said, “but certainly he’s made a lot of progress and we feel good about where he is.”

McClain, 25, resurrected his career with the team a season ago, going from first-round bust with the Oakland Raiders to being discussed as the comeback player of the year in his debut season with the Cowboys.

“We tried to create an environment for him to come be his best,” Garrett said. “And I think he just embraced the opportunity. He was at the right place in his life to focus on football again.

“He’s just a really good player. He’s a good system fit, he plays with a tenacity and a relentlessness that is really, really good for your football team.”

McClain played in 13 regular-season games for the Cowboys, raking up 108 tackles with nine tackles for loss, five quarterback pressures and five passes defended, according to the coaches’ stats.

He was limited in the playoffs with concussion-like symptoms, and did not register any postseason stats.

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